Automatic injector for boilers.



W. J. LAMAR. AUTOMATIC INJECTOR FOR BOILERS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.26,1911.

' Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

, km: civic or Willi am Jessi Lamar.

wifbnesses'.

S. vzfu'olzlmam UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM JESSIE LAMAR, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJOHN S. KmKPATRICK, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC INJEGTOR' FQR BOILERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9,1912.

Application filed January 26, 1911. Serial No. 604,918.

. engineer or fireman.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference-will nowbe made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a broken side elevation of a locomotive and tender,provided with the improved apparatus forming my in- Fig. 2 is anenlarged broken side vention. elevation of the apparatus, partly insection. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the upper portion of thelocomotive boiler, and anv automatic float-valve employed in carryingoutthe invention, and Fig. 4 is a section of a valve used in carrying outthe invention.

In carrying out the invention, I employ an automatic valve comprising afloat 1, a valve-plug 2, and a shell having a seat 4, against which theupper tapered endof the valve-plug 2 is adapted to abut.v Float 1 ispreferably made of asbestos reinforced with sheet-metal, to withstandthe heat and pressure to which it is subjected. Valve-plug 2 is held inaxial alinement with seat 4 by a guide secured to an interior portion ofthe boiler. I

5 designates a steam pipe communicating with the shell of the automatic:valve, just described, and leading to.a steam-chest 6, containing areciprocable piston 7, operablyconnected to an' annulus 8, provided forthe purpose of simultaneously actuating valves 10, 12 and 14.

9 designates an injector, which receives its supply of water from thetender 19 of-the locomotive through a feed-pipe 15-, and a supply. ofsteam from the upper portion of the boiler through a pipe ll to forcethewater received through pipe 15, into the boiler through a discharge-pipe13.

, The flow of steam through pipe 11 is controlled by-valve 10, the flowof steam and water through discharge-pipe 13 is controlled by valve 12,and the flow of feedyvater through pipe 15 is controlled by valve 14 anda valve 18, which latter is located adjacent the tender 19, and actuatedby the annulus 8, through the intermediacy of a connecting-rod 16,provided with a turnbuckle 17, whereby said rod may be lengthened orshortened as desired.

When the watervin the boiler falls below I a predetermined level, eitherthrough leakage or evaporation, float 1 falls therewith and carriesvalve-plug 2 away from its seat '4. This opens communication betweenpipe 5 and the boiler, so that steam from the latter is free to flowthrough the former to the steam-chest 6, where it impinges againstpiston 7 and forces the same forward. As piston 7 moves forward, itturns the annulus 8, which in turn, through the intermediacy of itsconnectionswith valves 10, 12, 14 and 18, opens 'saidvalves, permittingsteam to flow intothe injector 9 through pipe 11 and suck feed waterfrom the tender through pipe 15, and force it into the boiler throughpipe 13, until the l evel'of the water in said boiler is restored tonormal. When this occurs, float 1, which moves upward with the water,forces valve-plug 2 againstits 1 seat 4, and thus cutsofl further supplyof steam from the boiler to the steam-chest 6. Thus relieved of thepressure of the steam, piston 7 is drawn backward bysuction of thevacuum created in steam-chest 6 on the forward movement of piston 7. Aspiston 7 moves backward, it turns the annulus 8 to normal position,causing it to-close valves 10, 12, 14 and 18, and stopping the operationof the injector until the water in the boiler is again reduced belownormal level when the foregoing operation is repeated.

Fig. 4 shows a vertical section of .valve 12, which is identical inconstruction to valves 10, 14 and 18. Said 'valve consists of acommunicating with the opposite sides of shell as, .so that the flow offluid through said port, when registeringwith the pipe, will beunobstructed, as is the case in valvesf wherein the port is of lessdiameter than the pipe communicating therewith. Valve-plug e is heldfrom vertical movement by a jamnut b, which engages the conical upperportion of said valve-plug and also the in} ternally threaded upperportion of casing a, and is provided with a cap-nut h. The jam-nut b isassisted in holding the valveplug e from vertical movement by a stem dprojecting from the valve-plug through the bottom of casing a, andprovided with a nut f, The upper portion of the valve-plug e is providedwith a stem z extending through cap-nut h and'provided with a leverjadapted to be actuated by the annulus 8. From the foregoingdescription, it will 'beunderstoodthat I have produced an apparatuswhereby water may be automatically, maintained at substantially apredetermined level in a boiler, without attention on the part of anattendant. This in sures the best results, as it is obvious that thecubic'steam space of the boiler is maintained substantially, uniform atall times,

and by having the water gradually fed to the boiler; asurequired thewater in the boiler will be kept substantial-1y at uniform temperature,and evaporation thereof into steam, will also be substantially uniform,

The evil effects is overcome, of injecting large quantities of waterinto the boiler at one time, which usually occurs when" the injector ismanually operated, instead of automatically operated, as in the presentcase, and a maximum head of dry steam of uni- 80'form pressure ismaintained at a minimum consumption of fuel; I

Having thus described my invention, what I- claim, and desire to secureby LettersPat-ent, is

1. In combination with a boiler, an injector, a discharge pipe leadingfrom said igjgctor into the boiler, a feed-water pipe co municating withsaid injector, a pipe containing fluid under pressure communl 40 eatingwith the injector to force the feedwater into the boiler, valves on saidpipes,-

an annulus adapted to partially rotate and simultaneously actuatesaidwvalves, and

means controlled by the water level in the boiler to actuate saidannulus.

2. In combination'with a boiler, an injector, a discharge pipe leadingfrom said injector .into the boiler, a feed-water pipe communicatingwith said injector, a vpipe 5 containing fluid under pressurecommunicating with the injector to force the feedwater into the boiler,valves on said pipes, an annulus for simultaneously actuating .saidvalves, and a fluid controlled piston fo1 5 actuating said annulus.

' 3. In combination with a boiler, an injector discharging into saidboiler, a feedwater pipe communicating with said injec-' tor, two valvesto control the flow of water through said feed-water pipe, an annulushaving direct connection with one of said valves, a connecting-rodconnecting said annulus with the other valve, a steam supplypipe leadingfrom the boiler to the injector, a'valv'e to control the flow of steamthrough said steam-pipe and connected to the annulus, and meanscontrolled by the water in the boilerto actuatesaid annulus.

4. In combination with a boiler, an injector discharging into saidboiler, a feedwater-pipe leading to said injector, a valve to controlthe flow of water through said feed-water pipe, a steam-pipe leadingfrom the boiler to the injector, a valve to control the flow of steamthrough said steam-pipe, an annulus operably-connected to said valves tosimultaneously actuate the same, a piston operably-connected to saidannulus to partially rotate the same, a cylinder inclosing said piston,a steam-pipe leading to said cylinder from the boiler, a shell withinthe boiler communicating with the inlet end of the last-mentionedsteam-pipe, and provided with a valve seat, a verticallyarrangedvalve-plug adapted to engage said seat, and a float controlled by thewater level in the boiler to actuate said valveplug. 5. In" combinationwith a locomotive; a tender therefor, an injectormounted upon saidlocomotive, a feed-water pipe leading from the tender to said injector,a valve adjacent the tender to control the flow of water through said feed-water-pipe, a valve adjacent the injector to control the flow ofwater through said-feed-water pipe, a steam pipe leading from thelocomotive boiler to the injector, a valve tocontrol the flow of' steamthrough said steam-pipe, a discharge pipe leading from the injector tothe boiler, a valve to control the .flow of fluid through saiddischarge-pipe, an annulus adjacent the injector and operably-connectedto the feed-water pipe valve, the steam-pipe valve, and thedischarge-pipe valve adjacent said injegtpr to actuate the same, aconnectingrod connecting the annulus and the feedwater pipe valveadjacent the tender, a reciprocable piston to partially rotate theannulus, acylinder containingsaid piston, a

steam-pipe leading from the boiler to said cylinder, a valve seat withinthe boiler-communicating with said steam-pipe, a valveplug adapted toengage said seat, a guide for said valve-plug to hold it in properrelation to its seat, and a floatcontrolled by the water level in theboiler to actuate said valve plug, substantially as set forth anddescribed.

In testimonywhereof I hereunto aifix' my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WILLIAM JESSIE Witnesses:

J. S. KIRKPATRICK, 0. D. MGCOLLUM.

